MIAMI (CBSMiami) — That Whopper you just bought may be funding animal abuse.

An undercover investigation by Mercy For Animals (MFA) says its hidden cameras captured what the group calls “sadistic animal torture” at Bettencourt Dairies, a major Burger King cheese supplier in Idaho.

MFA claims the videotaped abuse was so shocking that three workers, including a dairy manager, were charged with criminal animal cruelty charges.

A press conference at 11 a.m. Wednesday promised to provide more details.

According to the video’s description, dairy workers were caught “viciously beating and shocking cows and violently twisting their tails in order to deliberately inflict pain.”

They were also shown repeatedly shocking a downed cow and then dragging her by her neck using a chain attached to a tractor.

The description goes on to say its hidden camera also captured “extremely unsafe and unsanitary conditions, including feces covered floors that cause cows to regularly slip, fall, and injure themselves” and “sick or injured cows suffering from open wounds, broken bones and infected udders left to suffer without veterinary care.

MFA is urging Burger King to immediately implement meaningful animal protection guidelines for all dairy suppliers, including zero tolerance for animal abuse, care for “downers,” and ending mutilations without painkillers.

Gary Nelson has been a member of the CBS4 News team since September, 1992, coming on board in the days following Hurricane Andrew, a storm that ripped a swath of devastation across our community and ripped the roof off Gary's house.
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